ECB official pushes for digital euro in response to Trump’s stablecoin strategy

ECB board member Cipollone warned that dollar-backed stablecoins could disintermediate banks, underscoring the urgency for Europe to launch its own digital currency.
The ECB's Claudia Buch warned that Euro zone banks must prepare for geopolitical shocks, including liquidity risks and disruptions from Russia's war in Ukraine and US policy changes.

Eurozone banks should embrace a digital euro to counter United States President Donald Trump’s new push to promote dollar-backed stablecoins globally, European Central Bank (ECB) board member Piero Cipollone stated on Friday. Cipollone warned that stablecoins, which function similarly to money market funds, could further erode banks’ revenues and customer base, strengthening the need for an ECB-backed digital currency.

A digital euro would provide a secure, centralised online wallet guaranteed by the ECB but managed by private banks, allowing even unbanked individuals to make payments. However, eurozone banks have raised concerns about losing deposits to this digital alternative. Cipollone emphasised that such a move would safeguard Europe’s financial system from potential disruptions caused by stablecoins gaining global traction.

While the ECB continues to experiment with a digital euro, a final decision depends on European lawmakers approving the necessary legislation. Meanwhile, Trump’s executive order on Thursday prohibited the Federal Reserve from issuing its own digital currency. Over 40 countries, including China and Russia, are already piloting central bank digital currencies, putting pressure on the eurozone to accelerate its digital efforts.